The exit of Uganda’s Internal Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has triggered a wave of controversy, exposing deep cracks within the country’s security leadership. His departure has been overshadowed by bitter exchanges, institutional blame games, and allegations that point to long-standing internal power struggles.
What was expected to be a routine handover to Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu instead turned into a tense and uncomfortable transition. Senior police officials largely stayed away from the ceremony, leaving the outgoing minister visibly frustrated as he addressed a thinly represented security leadership.
During his remarks, Otafiire accused elements within the police force of disregarding ministerial authority and operating with growing independence. He argued that coordination between the ministry and police leadership had weakened, creating operational confusion and undermining civilian oversight.
He also raised alarm over the sharp increase in the cost of digital number plates, which reportedly rose from Shs150,000 to more than Shs714,000. According to him, neither the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor police leadership had control over the pricing, suggesting that external actors influenced the decision.
Shortly after leaving office, Otafiire escalated his criticism on social media, warning against extrajudicial conduct and pointing to alleged misconduct within sections of the Crime Intelligence Directorate. His remarks further inflamed tensions with Uganda’s security establishment.
Police and intelligence officials quickly rejected the claims, describing them as politically driven and misleading. While the Inspector General of Police declined to respond publicly, senior officers insisted that the accusations did not reflect the realities within their institutions.
Behind the public fallout, insiders point to deeper disagreements over procurement processes, authority over major security projects, and long-running disputes about governance within the security sector. These tensions, they say, had been building for years before finally erupting.
Otafiire’s departure has therefore left more than a vacancy in office—it has exposed an unresolved struggle over control, accountability, and influence within Uganda’s powerful security apparatus, with the effects likely to linger well beyond his tenure.
